


her (loving you)

by josiespen



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-02-08 19:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18630199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/josiespen/pseuds/josiespen
Summary: Josie hates Penelope Park. Josie also hates that she can't stay away from her. When an ex comes back into town, Josie needs Penelope's help and she hates that too (not really).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi all. I've had this idea for ages and finally decided to start it. will be a multi chapter slow-burn. will try to post semi-regularly.
> 
> short intro, chapters will be longer. ;)
> 
> kudos & comments more than appreciated.

Josie checked her watch for the third time in less than ten minutes. And finally, it was 3pm. She locked her bike on the rail and walked the short distance to her favorite coffee shop. By this time, Penelope would be clocking out and Josie would be getting in just to see a middle finger in her face followed by the slamming of the door.

So when she entered the cafe, and Penelope was behind the counter and not literally running into her on her way out the door, Josie was super confused.

Penelope smirked at her when their eyes met. It was a challenge. Would Josie turn and leave? Or would she stand up and walk up to the counter and try not to kill the barista taking her order.

She really needed her caffeine, so devil spawn it was.

Before Josie could say anything, Penelope spoke.

“Hey Saltzman, miss me?”

Josie rolled her eyes. “I’m just wondering why you’re working right now.”

“Did I mess up your schedule?” Penelope asked, knowingly. It irritated the shit out of Josie that Penelope thought she knew everything about her.

“Whatever. Can I please just get a large latte with extra foam?”

Penelope punched in her order and then grinned at her. “That’ll be $7.62.”

“What the hell? It’s $4.45!”

“We added an extra fee for assholes.”

Josie leaned forward against the counter, and grabbed Penelope by her collar. Penelope raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Damn Saltzman, didn’t think you were into this.”

Instead of responding, Josie pulled out exactly $4.45 and slapped it on the counter then walked away.

Thankfully, her usual table in the corner wasn’t taken and she opened up her laptop to start working on a resume.

“Josette, latte with no foam is ready!”

Josie sighed and got up to go get her drink. “That's the best you got? You’re slacking, Park.”

Penelope just shrugged and got back to filling other orders.

\---

It was two weeks. Two weeks of Penelope having a different schedule. Josie wasn’t about to switch her OWN schedule just because the local coffee house was going through some changes.

“Yo Jo, your order’s up!”

Josie snatched her drink and walked back to her seat.

When she was winding down, and about ready to pack up her stuff, someone sat in the seat in front of her. She looked up to see Penelope.

“I don’t need any more of your torture. I’m about to leave.”

“Yeah, I know. And I’m off.”

“So? Go home then.”

Penelope grinned and leaned forward. “I thought I’d walk you out.”

Josie scoffed and gathered her things. “Only if you don't talk.”

Penelope nodded and followed Josie out the door. “I always thought you liked when I was loud.” Penelope turned to her and grinned cockily.

Josie stopped walking and looked around to make sure no one heard them.

“You can't say things like that Penelope!” Josie whispered harshly and grabbed the other girls arm, leading them to her bike.

Penelope couldn't stop laughing and Josie gently shoved her shoulder, causing Penelope to lose her footing for a brief moment.

“Hey!” She shouted, a bit annoyed. 

“I told you to shut up,” Josie advanced on Penelope and was mere inches from her.

“Have I ever told you how hot you are when you're angry?" 

Josie could only roll her eyes as she proceeded to ignore Penelope.

“Anyway,” Penelope said, moving to stand in front of her. Josie looked up at her with a raised brow. 

“I have some information for you.”

“I’m not sleeping with you to get information out of you.”

Penelope laughed and nodded her head. “We both know you don’t need an excuse to sleep with me.”

Josie huffed. “What is it?”

Penelope’s face softened for a moment, and her voice lowered. “Hope is back in town.”

Josie felt like she just got punched in the gut.

“And she has a boyfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you all think? @tayhadid on Twitter
> 
> here's a Spotify playlist for this fic: [her (loving you) playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/ktpenguin/playlist/0842Kcvk55fMGCKDGIXdpt?si=OyhD_xglTrGXaaSZU_VA6A)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will be getting into more details from the past of posie and josie's relationship with hope.
> 
> kudos & comments welcomed. :)

Josie sat on her bike, facing Penelope who had a worried expression on her face.

Neither of them had spoken for the past five minutes.

Hope was back.

Hope Mikaelson was back.

And she had a damn boyfriend.

Finally, Penelope broke the uncomfortable silence.

“So hear me out, I have a proposition.” The corners of her mouth twitched. “I think you should be my girlfriend.”

Josie blinked a couple of times and then let out a loud laugh. “Are you out of your fucking mind?"

Penelope knew what the reaction was going to be so she wasn’t surprised but she still couldn’t help roll her eyes. “Josie, we already sleep together.”

“Yeah, and I told you to keep it quiet, Penelope.”

Penelope’s face fell for a moment but then she snapped out of it.

“Look, maybe we should go to my apartment and talk about this?”

“I’m not going to your apartment because you just want to get me alone.”

“Well, that is a plus.” Penelope winked.

Josie sighed and got herself ready on her bike.

“Shut up, but okay we can go to your place.”

Penelope swung her messenger bag over her shoulder and was prepared to trail behind Josie. 

Josie turned around one more time. 

“But we're only discussing this ridiculous plan of yours, I'm not having sex with you today.”

And then she sped off.

Penelope smiled to herself and then shouted after the other girl.

“If you say so.”

\---

Once they were inside Penelope’s apartment, they sat on her couch.

Josie was drinking a bottle of water and hadn’t said a single word since they arrived ten minutes earlier.

Penelope was used to Josie not talking much when she was here. She usually liked to use her mouth for other things.

But this was just getting ridiculous.

So she was going to be blunt about it.

“So, Hope dumped you hardcore two years ago.” She finally said, taking a long sip of her own water then placing it on the coffee table.

She continued, “she left all of us here without an explanation other than she wanted to find herself and not be stuck in this town. And now she comes back with a boyfriend.”

Josie was still silent and Penelope was afraid the bottle of water was going to explode with how white her fingertips were gripping it.

“I know you've been using me for the past year because I know you're not over her, Josie.”

Which Penelope thought was stupid, but that’s not something she was going to say aloud.

“I really think this can benefit both of us. I get an excuse to sleep with you, and you get a way to make Hope jealous.”

At that, Josie finally looked up and they made eye contact. Penelope just had to run the plan home.

“I haven't met her boyfriend but MG says he's really sweet.” 

Josie sighed and placed the bottle down next to Penelope’s. When she sat back against the couch, she brought up one knee underneath her and turned to face Penelope. “I don't want to meet her boyfriend, I don't think I'm ready,” she admitted.

Penelope nodded, she completely understood.

Who would want to meet their exes new significant other especially when that ex was a bitch and left in a really bad way?

“I know, but you'll have to at some point.”

Josie regarded Penelope curiously. She really didn’t know why she would want to do this. It’s not like their sex life was lacking.

Their friends-with-benefits-no-strings-attached had been working flawlessly.

“Why are you doing this for me?” Josie genuinely wondered.

Penelope rolled her eyes up to look at the ceiling for a moment. “Because she hurt you and I was there to pick up the pieces,” she admitted softly.

When she looked back at Josie, she had an unreadable expression on her face.

“I don't want to see you hurt like that again, Josie,” Penelope said quietly.

Josie barely smiled, but she squeezed the hand that was next to her.

Penelope laced their fingers together out of instinct and was pleasantly relieved when Josie didn’t pull away.

“That's one of the few sweet things you've ever said to me,” Josie said, her smile getting wider.

Penelope laughed softly. “Hey, I can be nice.”

“Yeah, I usually have to bribe you with kissing first.”

Penelope wiggled her eyebrows.

“Well if you want to make out right now I'm not going to complain.”

Josie rolled her eyes.

“I'm not making out with you.”

“Are you sure about that because you've been looking at my lips for the past two minutes.”

Josie sighed and looked down at their joined hands. She absentmindedly played with Penelope’s fingers.

“It's because this idea of yours might not be that bad of an idea.” 

And then Josie’s smile turned into a teasing grin. “And you're kind of hot when you're jealous.”

Penelope scoffed. “Me? Jealous of Hope? Yeah right.”

“Whatever you say, Penelope.” Josie giggled and nudged her knee with her own.

Josie’s face got serious again. “So let's say I do agree to this, are there rules?”

Penelope hadn’t thought that far ahead. But there had to be something.

“Well, we still hook up and have sex obviously.”

Josie rolled her eyes at the same time Penelope laughed. She shrugged.

“I just want to have fun with this. Make Mikaelson realize what she lost and left behind.”

Josie thought about it. Would this really work? And really, what was the purpose other than making Hope jealous? She had a boyfriend now. She was probably completely over her. This whole idea might even fail.

“But under no circumstances are you going to get back with her right?” Penelope asked.

The question threw Josie off, but she knew the answer immediately.

“Penelope, she shattered my heart and left all of us there's no way I'm going to go back to her.”

Penelope smiled sadly. “Famous last words.”

Josie shook her head and squeezed her hand again. “Realistic last words.”

"So now that we have that settled…,” Penelope trailed off with a sly grin. “It's been a couple of days.”

Josie knew what she meant. “Yeah because you've been annoying me more than usual for the past three days.”

Penelope let their hands go and placed it on Josie’s knee. “So why don't you make it up to me Saltzman?”

Josie bit her lip and looked at the hand that was slowly making its way under her skirt. “And what do you think I should do?”

“Well, first of all, I think you should take off my shirt.”

Josie laughed softly. “You're demanding today, Park.”

The hand inched higher and Josie’s breath hitched. “I'm pretty sure you like it when I'm bossy,” Penelope leaned forward to whisper in Josie’s ear.

Josie let out a soft breath and closed her eyes. “I'm pretty sure you like it more when _I'm_ bossy.”

Penelope’s breath tickled her ear when she chuckled softly. “I certainly don’t complain.”

She pulled away and kissed Josie’s jaw under her ear.

“Then kiss me.”

And then Josie leaned forward, and so did Penelope. It felt like every nerve in Josie’s body was on full alert because she could feel everything. Everywhere. Like always when they were together. And it was absolutely incredible.

Josie pushed Penelope back until Penelope fell back against the cushions so she could straddle her. She grinned as she brought Penelope’s shirt up over her head and then tossed it somewhere behind them. Penelope’s hands landed on her stomach, and she slid them under her blouse and Josie suddenly forgot what oxygen was.

In this moment there is only her and Penelope.

Hope Mikaelson isn’t even in the back of her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you all think? @tayhadid on Twitter
> 
> here's a Spotify playlist for this fic: [her (loving you) playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/ktpenguin/playlist/0842Kcvk55fMGCKDGIXdpt?si=OyhD_xglTrGXaaSZU_VA6A)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hope shows up and posie are uncharacteristically soft with each other.

Josie stirred in her sleep as she heard a faint tapping in the distance.

Penelope’s arm tightened on her torso and Josie’s eyes blinked open.

She turned her head slightly to watch Penelope’s face as she was sleeping and she couldn’t stop the fond smile from forming on her face. 

They usually didn’t sleep over at each other's place. She could count on two hands the number of times they had in the past year.

But last night Penelope was more affectionate than usual and Josie didn’t have the heart to just leave her. It was very rare that they were sweet to each other without anything else involved.

It wasn’t that Penelope wasn’t a decent person, but Josie was protecting her heart. And Penelope Park was dangerous when it came to that. So their arrangement was easy. Safe. And only allowed for a few slip-ups.

The knocking started again and she stretched her arms over her head, then nudged Penelope.

“Someone's knocking on your door.”

She heard a groan in response and then a mumbled answer.

“Then go answer it.”

Josie shook her head even though Penelope wasn’t looking at her.

“I don't want to get up.”

Penelope opened one eye and squinted at Josie.

“I'll make you breakfast if you do.”

Josie laughed softly. “You don’t cook.”

Penelope sighed.

“Cereal and toast, babe.”

Josie’s cheeks warmed at the use of ‘babe’. That was another thing that wasn’t normal for them.

She heard a few more knocks and rolled her eyes. This person was not leaving.

“Okay they're knocking again, I'll go get it.”

Josie got out of bed and looked at the discarded clothes around the room. She picked up a pair of grey joggers on a chair, and Penelope’s Rolling Stones t-shirt on the floor and slipped them on before going out into the hall to answer the door.

She was letting out a yawn as she opened the door and her eyes went wide.

“Hope.”

Hope looked just as shocked to see her. And Josie didn’t miss the way her eyes looked her up and down.

“Josie? Why are you at Penelope's place in her t-shirt at 9am?”

She was at a loss for words. Her chest was tight and she felt like she was going to pass out.

“Ummm.”

Hope still looked confused but when Josie’s eyes glanced to the side nervously, it clicked and Hope’s eyes widened a fraction.

“Oh.”

“Hope, it’s-”

Penelope’s voice filtered into the room before she could finish.

“Babe, who's at the door?”

And then she was standing behind her. Closely. Josie could feel breath on the back of her neck and she had to stop herself from shuddering. Hope was looking between the both of them.

“Oh, hey Hope.” Penelope greeted and then moved to stand next to Josie, her hand deliberately brushing against the back of Josie’s.

Hope’s eyes followed the movements before she looked back up to Penelope.

“Um hi, Penelope.” She said quietly.

Josie was feeling extremely uncomfortable and obviously, Hope came here not expecting to see her. She needed to get out of this situation. She turned to Penelope and smiled at her.

“I'm going to go take a shower.”

Penelope nodded and then leaned in to kiss her. Josie pulled back looking slightly shocked that they’d already started with their plan, but knew it was worth it when she turned back to say bye to Hope and she had a surprised look on her face.

After Josie left, Penelope opened the door wider for Hope to enter.

“Come in. I was just going to make cereal and toast if you want some.”

Hope was still out of sorts from seeing them kissing but she followed Penelope into her kitchen and took a seat at the table.

“Sure, I’ll take some toast with jam if you have it.”

Penelope nodded and started to get the items out to make breakfast. She turned to look at Hope and let out a slight smirk.

“You look good, Mikaelson. Your hair is longer.”

Hope smiled and played with the napkin that was on the table.

“So is yours.”

And then it got quiet. Penelope put two slices of bread in the toaster and got out hers and Josie’s favorite cereal. She turned to regard Hope with a curious expression.

“So, what’s up?”

Hope looked down at the napkin she was shredding up and sighed.

“I was hoping we could catch up. You are my best friend and all.”

“Was,” Penelope replied instantly.

Hope finally looked back up again and Penelope didn’t look too happy.

“What?” She asked.

“I was your best friend. That ended when you left all of us,” Penelope said, her voice taking on a slight edge.

Hope’s face fell. “Penelope…,”

Penelope shook her head and sighed, running a hand through her hair.

“It's okay, we don't have to do that right now.”

Hope was fine with that, but something else was bugging her that she needed to talk about.

“Um,” she started hesitantly, “you and Josie?”

Penelope knew this was coming and she sat across from Hope. She let out a deep breath.

“Yeah.”

Hope’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

“Yeah?”

“We’re together,” Penelope answered easily.

(Sometimes it was hard to forget they really weren’t.)

“So, how did that happen?” Hope asked. This was not something she expected she would come back to at all. Penelope and Josie barely got along when she was dating Josie.

Penelope raised her hands in front of her. “It’s not my place to tell you. Ask Josie.”

Hope shook her head sadly. “I doubt she wants to talk to me at all.”

That was true. Josie had said that to her yesterday. Penelope was worried about how Josie was feeling with the unexpected visit from Hope. But that’s something she’d bring up after Hope left. She was just afraid Josie would want to leave immediately when Hope was gone. She was always leaving her.

“She will eventually. Give her time I guess. If you want to talk to her that is.”

“Of course I do,” Hope said. “I know me leaving how I did broke her heart-”

“Shattered it,” Penelope interrupted. “And I was there to mend it.”

An uncomfortable silence fell between them and then Penelope was saved by the toast popping up.

Hope watched Penelope as she got up. “Look, I came over here wondering if you wanted to come over tonight to have dinner with me and Landon.”

Penelope turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

“Meeting the new boyfriend already?” She teased.

"Well, you should. Because I'm moving back.”

Penelope was caught off guard for a moment.

“Wait… you're moving here? Not just visiting?”

This was going to fuck things up.

“Yeah,” is all Hope responded with. After another beat of silence, she continued. “You can bring Josie too if you'd like.”

Penelope’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“I don't know if that would be the best idea.”

Hope took the toast that Penelope offered her, took one bite, and stood up.

“Well, talk to her about it. I'm gonna head out.” She grabbed her bag and walked over to the door. Penelope followed her and when they were standing there, she hesitantly gave her a hug.

Hope pulled back with a smile. “I’ll text you my address. I have a new number.”

All Penelope could do was nod. And then Hope left, and she was left staring at a white door with a thousand thoughts running through her mind.

Hope wasn’t only in town. She was moving back.

It made Penelope nervous. Josie promised she wouldn’t get back together with her, but if Hope was around constantly?

She sighed and went back to the kitchen. Just as she finished buttering Josie’s toast and getting the cereal ready and both on the table, Josie came back.

Her hair was damp, leaving droplets on her skin and Penelope couldn’t help but stare.

When their eyes met, Josie was smirking. “See something you like?”

“Yep. This food because I’m starving.”

Josie pouted but then it turned into an affectionate smile. She walked over to Penelope and wrapped her arms around her waist, leaning down so she could kiss her.

Just as Penelope thought there was no way she could continue breathing, Josie pulled back and walked to the table.

“Thanks for breakfast, ‘babe’,” she teased.

Penelope blushed and they ate in silence.

“Hope wants us to come over for dinner tonight,” she said suddenly.

Josie stopped eating and looked up at her. “What did you tell her?”

“That I didn’t know if you wanted to and I would ask you.”

“Well, you’re right. I don’t want to. I told you yesterday-”

“You told me it was too soon, Josie, I know that. And I respect that. I just had to tell her something.”

Josie didn’t know what she wanted to do. Seeing Hope’s boyfriend was not on her list of things she wanted to do anytime soon. And seeing Hope so out of the blue today through her for a loop.

“I know, and I appreciate it. Let’s just you and I hang out today okay?”

She got a nod in response and a small smile.

Penelope was looking at her like she was going to break and it kind of annoyed Josie. She was okay. Hope Mikaelson was not going to ruin her life again by coming back into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you all think? @tayhadid on Twitter
> 
> here's a Spotify playlist for this fic: [her (loving you) playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/ktpenguin/playlist/0842Kcvk55fMGCKDGIXdpt?si=OyhD_xglTrGXaaSZU_VA6A)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lizzie finds out. penelope and josie feel... nothing?

Penelope nudged Josie’s ankle with her foot.

 

“So what was that earlier?”

 

Josie tore her eyes away from watching Killing Eve and her nose scrunched in confusion.

 

“What was what?”

 

Penelope had been uncharacteristically quiet since Hope left, and Josie had a lot of things she had to do but leaving just didn’t feel right. She wasn't quite sure why.

 

“You kissed me when you got out of the shower,” Penelope said quietly. She hadn’t been looking at her this entire conversation so far.

 

Josie was quiet for a minute, turning to pause the show, and then taking in Penelope’s soft features. Her hair was messy but curled at the ends, she was wearing an old college sweatshirt and shorts. She looked relaxed. It was different than what she normally saw. 

 

“It felt right in the moment,” was all she could come up with.

 

Penelope finally turned to face her then, and her face gave nothing away.

 

Josie was about to say something when Penelope leaned forward, hovering over her.

 

Her breathing got quieter and her gaze immediately fell to Penelope’s lips and then her eyes slipped close when Penelope pressed their mouths together.

 

This was familiar. The not talking. The kissing. The touching. This was something they could both deal with. They didn’t have to think about anything else. 

 

The warm fingertips trailing up inside her shirt, made Josie shiver, but something in the back of her mind made her pull back.

 

It took a moment for Penelope to open her eyes, but when she did, they were heavy with doubt.

 

Josie’s chest ached for a moment, but she pushed that aside and sat up.

 

“I should go,” she said quietly, biting on her lower lip.

 

All Penelope could do was nod because she knew this was coming. She felt like an idiot for thinking Josie really would spend the whole day with her, and not just run away after Hope had left. Especially after Hope had left. Because why else would she be here? It wasn’t like Josie actually cared about her.

 

Josie walked back into Penelope’s bedroom without another word and came back dressed in her own clothes and with her bag.

 

“I’ll see you soon, Park.”

 

Penelope nodded again and gave her a tight-lipped smile. “See you, Saltzman.”

 

This is what they did. They always pretended like it was nothing. And sometimes it felt like nothing, even when Penelope felt everything.

 

\---

 

“So, Hope’s back in town huh?” Lizzie asked even before Josie was fully inside their apartment.

 

“Good morning to you too, Liz.”

 

Lizzie raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “It’s almost 3pm.”

 

Josie just rolled her eyes and walked to her room without further comment. She didn’t feel like talking about Hope. Or Penelope. Or why she was six hours later than she usually was after they spent the night together. Because then she would have to think too much about it, and that’s the exact opposite of what their whole arrangement stood for.

 

Hope being back in town was really getting to her more than she thought it would. Josie was more okay with the plan she and Penelope were doing, but seeing Hope? She’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel something.

 

She thinks of the other night when Penelope said she was just using her because she knew Josie still had feelings for Hope. But Josie meant it when she said she wouldn’t get back with her. It hurt too much to even think about it.

 

Her phone buzzed, startling her out of her thoughts. It was a text from an unfamiliar number, but Josie immediately knew who it was.

 

_ Unknown: Hey Jo, did Penelope talk to you about dinner? _

 

Josie stared at the text, her mind going blank. Was Hope seriously asking her to have dinner with her and her new boyfriend? Penelope had said that she told Hope she would talk to her about it, so obviously, Hope knew that if they were going to come, she would be hearing from  _ Penelope. _

 

If this was another one of Hope’s games, she wasn’t in the mood.

 

_ Josie: Yes. We aren’t coming. Bye. _

 

She could picture Hope’s shocked expression at her reply, and for a moment she let herself revel in that with a tiny smile. 

 

But then Lizzie was knocking on her door. Which meant she wanted to talk about something serious because otherwise, she wouldn’t bother knocking.

 

“Come in!”

 

Lizzie walked in with a cup of tea and handed it to Josie, who gratefully accepted it.

 

She took a sip when Lizzie finally started talking.

 

“Were you with Penelope?”

 

“Yep,” Josie replied, turning around and looking for a sweater to put on.

 

“MG texted me and told me Hope was going to invite her over for dinner.” Lizzie had a worried expression on her face, and Josie was thankful that her sister was worried about her, but everything with Hope and Penelope today kind of set her on edge.

 

“Penelope told her no. But apparently, Hope didn’t care about that.” She rolled her eyes.

 

“What does that mean?”

 

Josie sighed and sat on the edge of her bed, Lizzie followed suit and took her hand in her own.

 

“I got a text from a new number asking about the dinner. Obviously, it was Hope, and I told her no and left no room for argument.”

 

Lizzie’s eyes brightened for a moment. “Well, that’s good then! I’m proud of you.”

 

“Yeah…,” Josie trailed off.

 

“What’s wrong? You did the right thing, Jo.” Lizzie was looking at her curiously now.

 

Josie closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then faced her sister.

 

“Penelope and I are dating.”

 

There was silence except for Josie’s pounding heart.

 

“You’re- what?” Lizzie looked completely shocked. (She wasn’t the only one).

 

“Yeah, Penelope is my girlfriend now.”

 

Lizzie stood up suddenly and looked down at Josie and then smiled. “It’s about damn time. I was getting annoyed at her constant pining over you. Also, MG owes me 20 bucks. Wait, who asked who?”

 

Josie’s heart was racing and her mind was a jumbled mess. It was...obvious? What was obvious exactly?

 

“Penelope asked me.”

 

Lizzie did a quick fist pump in the air. “Okay, now he owes me 50 dollars.” She laughed as she left Josie’s room but not before she turned back with a genuine smile on her face. “I’m happy for you two.”

 

“Thanks?” She laughed quietly and ducked her head.

 

So she told Lizzie. And Hope knew.

 

Was this what they were supposed to do? Or was Hope the only one who was supposed to think they were together?

 

_ Josie: Hey, I told Lizzie we were dating. Is that okay? _

 

Josie bit her lip when the typing bubbles popped up and then disappeared for a minute, then came back.

 

_ Penelope: That’s fine. It makes the plan easier if other people think it’s real too. _

 

Because it’s fake. Josie had to remind herself of that. Whatever she had with Penelope was fake. The hanging out, the breakfast, the cuddling- that all had to stop. It meant nothing.

  
Except it felt like  _ something. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> penelope reminisces. lizzie is team-penelope.

Penelope hated mornings for a lot of reasons.

 

The sun shining through the crack of her blinds, forcing her eyes to open before her alarm was a big one.

 

The assholes on their way to work, impatient and barking orders at her in the coffee shop was another one.

 

And waking up without Josie.

 

It wasn’t always like that. There were times when she would find Josie in her bed almost every morning for months.

 

And then it became something. At least she thought it did. She  _ thought _ they were getting passed the - “are you busy?” texts and then the sex and running away.

 

If she wanted to, she couldn’t pinpoint when they went from enemies to fuck buddies back to two people who barely tolerated each other but were still sleeping together.

 

But she could pinpoint when the entire thing began.

 

_ “Penelope, will you hurry up? I’m already ten minutes late and my boss is going to be pissed as hell if his coffee is cold.” _

 

_ If this were anyone else, Penelope would hurry up and almost make sure it was extra hot. _

 

_ But Josie Saltzman had been getting on her nerves for weeks now. Especially since Hope dumped her and left town with only a note. _

 

_ Penelope tried to defend her best friend at first, but knew it was futile; it was fucked up. She knew she couldn’t even defend Hope because it affected her too. _

 

_ “Excuse me,  _ ma’am, _ but I have orders in front of you, you’ll have to wait your turn.” Penelope grinned at her and it only got wider when Josie huffed in response. _

 

_ The next day Josie came in after work, looking exhausted; from the dark circles under her eyes to the slight tremor in her hands. Caffeine wouldn’t solve that problem, but Penelope had no say in the matter. _

 

_ When she saw Josie was about to leave, she told her boss she was taking her fifteen. _

 

_ They somehow found their way on the side of the building with Penelope’s weight pressing into Josie’s own and their mouths pressed together. _

 

_ Josie always said Penelope made the first move, but Penelope distinctively remembers Josie grabbing her sleeve and pulling her flush against herself. Will always remember the sharp intake of both their breaths. And the taste of mint and coffee on Josie’s tongue. _

 

Somehow that lasted for almost three months. Penelope thought they were becoming friends, even.

 

But then it turned into them only having sex and hooking up when Josie needed to.

 

It was easier to pretend they both just wanted the sex and nothing more.

 

But Penelope knew she wanted Josie. She tried to deny how much.

 

So it was easier accepting Josie’s terms of their whole arrangement.

 

What she hadn’t prepared for was Hope’s return.

 

She definitely didn’t have the plan of ‘hey let’s pretend to date to make things easier for you while Hope was in town’, and she  _ definitely did not have a plan _ now that Hope was staying for good.

 

Which Josie didn’t know about.

 

It wasn’t like Penelope had real feelings for Josie. She didn’t okay? She wouldn’t allow herself.

 

She just liked to blame everything on Hope. 

 

Hope left, so her and Josie got together. Hope came back, so now she and Josie were “dating.”

 

Fuck Hope Mikaelson.

 

(Not really because ew. And also she really did not want Josie to fuck her either.)

 

The night before was typical. Josie left, Penelope took a shower, went on a run, made herself dinner, and fell asleep to Schitt's Creek playing on Netflix.

 

She woke up to the blinding sun and the spot next to her empty.

 

The days that she didn’t work were boring. She would usually hang out with MG and or get caught up on things she’d missed the previous days, but today was different.

 

Today was the first day she and Josie were a couple.

 

A fake couple.

 

They needed a plan.

 

Penelope hated that her hands were slightly shaking when she scrolled to Josie’s name and typed out a text, but she hit send before she could stop herself.

 

_ Penelope: good morning babe  _

 

_ Josie: morning. You realize it’s almost 12pm? _

 

_ Penelope: it’s 11:49. That’s 11 minutes of morning. _

 

_ Josie: right. Did you want something? _

 

That shouldn’t have stung but it did.

 

_ Penelope: yeah do you wanna hang out? _

 

_ Josie: with you? _

 

_ Penelope: um duh _

 

_ Josie: why? _

 

_ Penelope: because as your gf, I want to hang out with you _

 

Penelope waited for a response but one never came.

 

Of fucking course. Josie was okay with pretending if Hope or Lizzie or whoever else knew, but if it was just them keeping up appearances there was no way she was going to agree.

 

\---

 

“Earth to Josie, you’ve been staring at your phone for five minutes,” Josie looked up to see Lizzie waving her hands in front of her face and she sighed.

 

“Penelope wants to hang out.”

 

Lizzie gave her a look. “So? Don’t you want to see her?”

 

“No,” was Josie’s automatic response but then Lizzie gave her another look and she recovered quickly. “I mean I look gross right now. We just got back from the gym.”

 

“Then take a shower and invite her over.” Lizzie rolled her eyes like it was the easiest answer in the world.

 

It probably was. 

 

“You want Penelope to come over?” Josie asked.

 

“Well now that you two are official, I think it’d be nice to have her over here once in a while instead of you spending all your nights there.”

 

Josie was about to respond but Lizzie spoke again.

 

“But that is not me giving you two permission to like fuck on our couch or something.”

 

“Ew, Lizzie!”

 

Lizzie laughed and then nodded to the phone in Josie’s hand. “Invite her over, I’ll order all of us lunch.”

 

Josie was quiet for a moment and then nodded. “Okay thanks,” she replied, her confidence nowhere to be found.

 

Why was she this nervous to have Penelope over?

 

Because it would be the first time she was here for something other than sex.

 

_ Josie: Liz and I just got back from the gym. Let me shower. Come over at 1? We can have lunch. _

 

_ Penelope: okay sounds cool _

 

_ Josie: Lizzie will be here too, it won’t just be us _

 

_ Penelope: that’s fine. It gives us the chance to practice _

 

_ Josie: right. See you in an hour? _

 

_ Penelope: see you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the filler chapter but i needed to get something out. i know it's been a while. promise the next one won't be as long of a wait.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lizzie, josie and penelope have lunch. some confusing feelings get in the way.
> 
> (there is a taylor swift lyric in here because it worked and i wanted to use it, so i did.)

Josie spent her first twenty minutes in the shower standing under the water with her eyes closed.

 

Moments like these she could use to relax and think.

 

About Penelope. And Hope.

 

Who did Hope Mikaelson think she was? She left two fucking years ago with only a short letter explaining that she needed to get away, and that was about it. Josie tried calling her, of course. But it went straight to voicemail. And now she decides to come back out of the blue with a boyfriend and expects things to go back to how they were? That she and Penelope can be best friends again? That Josie would be okay with being in her life again?

 

-

 

_"Hey Jo, what can I get you today?"_

 

_"How many shots of espresso can you legally put in a drink?"_

 

_"Uhhh."_

 

_Josie saw Penelope's confused face and realized in that moment that she didn't know. Hope left town this morning and her childhood best friend didn't even know._

 

_Suddenly, she felt a sense of longing for the girl in front of her. She wanted to be held and soothed and told everything was going to be okay, even if she didn’t believe it._

 

_But she wasn't okay. And she knew Penelope wouldn't be either_

 

_Josie blinked a few times, and then spoke softly. “Hope is gone.”_

 

_Penelope stared at her for a moment._

 

_“She left, this morning. She left a stupid letter, and turned off her phone.”_

 

_Penelope looked at her like she didn’t believe her, but there was something in her eyes that scared Josie._

 

_Without a word, Penelope punched in an order._

 

_“I put a lot of shots in there for you.”_

 

_Josie nodded and reached for her debit card, but Penelope put her hand up._

 

 _They looked at each other, probably for the first time they actually_ understood  _each other, and Josie could see the vulnerability._

 

_“It’s on the house.”_

 

_Josie didn’t know how to respond, so she just nodded again and went to wait at a table until her drink was ready._

 

-

 

Penelope had been something she wasn’t expecting.

 

Sleeping with her was the easiest thing in the world.

 

Admitting that she wanted to spend actual time with her wasn’t.

 

And now having Hope back, and everyone thinking that she and Penelope are _together,_ it was confusing on so many levels.

 

And apparently to Lizzie AND MG, it was obvious that there was something between them.

 

But there wasn’t.

 

It was purely physical. 

 

It wasn’t love, it wasn’t hate, it was just indifference.

 

(It was getting harder to believe that.)

 

And Penelope Park was good in bed. Like, really really good.

 

It was easy to fall into something with someone when that person would both catch you and let you fall.

 

It didn’t complicate things.

 

It absolutely couldn’t.

 

-

 

“So Penelope, how’s the cafe been?”

 

Josie, Penelope and Lizzie were currently sitting at the kitchen table eating Indian takeout and it wasn’t as awkward as Josie thought it was going to be. In fact, it was kind of nice.

 

“Oh you know, hate my boss, hate the hours, hate the customers, love the tips.” She grinned, and then turned towards Josie. “Except there’s one customer I don’t hate.”

 

Josie met her eyes and sucked in a quiet breath. She knew this was for show but Penelope just seemed so… sincere. It was kind of terrifying.

 

She laughed nervously. “Sometimes I still hate you though,” she teased, a glint in her eyes and a hint of a smirk on her lips.

 

They shared a soft smile and Lizzie cleared her throat.

 

“Okay this is cute and all but can you lower the sexual tension by several notches?”

 

Penelope rolled her eyes. “Lizzie, don’t even pretend that you and MG haven't been betting on us getting together for the past year,” she lifted an eyebrow at the girl in question.

 

Josie blushed to herself. Again with the obvious topic. Why was this “thing” between them so obvious to everyone except her?

 

Lizzie rolled her eyes back. “All I can say is it’s about damn time. And now that Hope is back, I’m glad she has you Penelope.”

 

Everyone was quiet after that but Josie watched Penelope and saw her duck her head down in embarrassment.

 

That was interesting.

 

“Ugh,” Josie groaned. “I do not want to deal with Hope Mikaelson being back in my life.” Lizzie glanced at Penelope and Josie quickly continued. “In _all_ of our lives.”

 

“Yeah,” is all Penelope responded with.

 

So maybe it was too soon to say this lunch was going well.

 

-

 

After they cleaned up, Lizzie excused herself to her room and Josie was lying on the couch with Penelope watching TV.

 

They hadn’t really spoken since the end of the conversation about Hope. And Josie didn’t really know what to say.

 

“You know,” she started, her voice quiet. “You don’t have to be worried.”

 

Penelope looked up at her with a confused expression on her face.

 

“About Hope. I told you I’m not going to get back with her.”

 

Penelope was quiet for a moment and then rested her head on Josie’s shoulder again.

 

“But you’re not over her, Josie.” Penelope spoke so quietly that Josie had to strain to hear it.

 

But she did hear it. And she didn’t know why it mattered to Penelope. 

 

Still, she didn’t have the heart to reply.

 

Because no matter the reason, she knew what Penelope was saying was true.

**Author's Note:**

> what do you all think? @tayhadid on Twitter
> 
> here's a Spotify playlist for this fic: [her (loving you) playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/ktpenguin/playlist/0842Kcvk55fMGCKDGIXdpt?si=OyhD_xglTrGXaaSZU_VA6A)


End file.
